STB to hold public rail service hearing

The Surface Transportation Board has scheduled a public hearing Sept. 4 in Fargo, N.D., to hash out rail network issues.
Representatives from CP and BNSF have been directed to attend, and the board has invited shippers and other carriers to deliver testimony, provided they file their intentions with the board by Aug. 25.
The hearing will begin at 8 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn at 4351 17th Ave. South in Fargo.
“The board has been closely monitoring the rail industry's performance since service problems began last year, and has taken a number of actions, both formal and informal, to address those problems,” it said in a press release.
These actions include compelling CP and BNSF to file weekly data regarding the transport of grain and fertilizer. In recent weeks, the board has been sent a number of letters from public figures, representatives from energy companies and a number of agriculture groups regarding capacity issues.